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Poetry
Happy Birthday Christ
By Talisker
21 August 2006
This is a seasonal piece about Christmas I wrote in the Scots vernacular.  I hope most readers can at least get the jist of it...(B->)

Oli


 

Happy birthday Christ! we wiss ye well,
Tho’ whit’s done in yer name we daurna tell,
Yer mony cannie wirds still resonate,
But a’ the modern pratticks only grate,
A million twinkly lichts shaw a’ the sins,
October’s whan the wuddrim a’ begins,
An’ fegs, till oorie Februar brings the bills,
Yer mass is but a maelstrom o’ oor ills,
Whit maks the puir yit puirer, dowfer yit?
Wha cannae wi’ thair fee fine praisants git?
Whit brings mair evil tae the warld than guid?
Had A the pouer tae cancel ‘taw a wid,
Whit turns oor plaisant weans tae greedy gryce?
Whit gars tae greet ilk douce man an’ his wife?
A thoosand adverteesments, baubled trees,
Auld Liz’s condescensions on TV,
(She shud haud her chaw for her ain brood,
Its langtimes sine thay makkit mither prood!)
Then gutsiness taks ower we stowe oor gabs,
Wi turkey, puddens, sweetmeats cake in slabs,
An’ whan its ower a’ that’s left is debt,
An’ muckle credit caird bills tae regret,
Wi Hogmanay an’ a’ it wild excesses,
The hangover the spleet-new year depresses,
A wiss a’d find a sonsie, mawsie hurcheon,
A’d sleep the whilie wi the couthie urchin!

Reviews

Written by Gill21 (566 comments posted) 21st August 2006
As a Scot myself and having been brought up on this kind of 'highland' twang from my grandparents etc, even i struggled to understand it! However the second read i got it.  
Thought it was great! Very accomplished and a little challenging. From your name i suspect you are a scot too? Perhaps from Skye? 
Anyway, great fun, well written, something a bit different. Well done!
maith an fear! maith an bhean!
Written by gerardconnolly (1186 comments posted) 21st August 2006
Oh Super, Talisker! Absoultely Super! 
 
How wonderful to have a rest from all the 'wattling world' and hear the Gael at full ' rois '. I told you to forget about all that suicide and depression. That's for the juveniles. If you can turn out this kind of thing you've no time to be despondent. Get writing man!! [Woman?] How I envy you. Whenever I slip even into the slightest venacular [let alone the Gaeltacht] the stupid English seem to think I am from the dark side of the moon! 'Condescending Liz' can kiss my donkey's arse!! Please let's have some more of this. Soon. A breath of highland air!! I don't suppose I have to mention Ivor Cutler. He would have been proud of you. 
 
Handsomely done Lovely Boy! [Girl?] 
 
Translation rewarded
Written by Bottleblondesurfer (3590 comments posted) 21st August 2006
I went into my cash and carry at the weekend and they had aisles of Christmas stuff and now this, it’s only August. I can’t keep up. Despite it’s unseasonal nature I enjoyed it. I would agree with Gerard over the reference to Cutler but there was the odd sniff of McGonnegall too. (and all the better for it) I remember seeing Ivor Cutler on stage supporting Van Morrison once, Magic!! 
Nice piece and rewards the effort put in to translating 
Cheers 
Mrs B 
 

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